Collins brings the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, to English language learners. Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language. Now Collins has adapted her famous detective novels for English language learners. These readers have been carefully adapted using the Collins COBUILD grading scheme to ensure that the language is at the correct level for an intermediate learner. This book is Level 5 in the Collins ELT Readers series. Level 5 is equivalent to CEF level B2+ with a word count of 22,000 – 30,000 words. Each book includes: • Full reading of the adapted version available for free online • Helpful notes on characters • Cultural and historical notes relevant to the plot • A glossary of the more difficult words • Free online resources for students and teachers at www.collinselt.com/readers The plot: A woman is murdered on a train. When Miss Marple telephones her friend Lucy Eyelesbarrow and asks her to go undercover to investigate, Lucy quickly accepts the challenge! Who is the dead woman? What was the motive for her murder? And why was the body thrown from the train and later hidden at Rutherford Hall? When a second murder takes place, everyone at Rutherford Hall seems in danger, so Miss Marple sets a trap to catch the murderer. About Collins ELT Readers Collins ELT Readers are divided into 7 levels: Level 1 – elementary (A2) Level 2 – pre-intermediate (A2-B1) Level 3 – intermediate (B1) Level 4 – upper- intermediate (B2) Level 5 – upper-intermediate+(B2+) Level 6 – advanced (C1) Level 7 – advanced + (C2) Each level is carefully graded to ensure that the learner both enjoys and benefits from their reading experience.
Author
Agatha Christie is the top-selling author of all time, with a legacy spanning 66 crime novels, 14 plays, and six romance novels under a pseudonym. Her works have sold over two billion copies globally, translated into at least 103 languages, making her the most translated author. She introduced the world to iconic characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, and wrote *The Mousetrap*, the record-holding longest-running play in modern theater. The youngest in the Miller family, her experience as a nurse during WWI and later roles in pharmacies during both World Wars deeply influenced her mystery novels, often featuring poisons. Christie’s writing career launched in 1920 with *The Mysterious Affair at Styles*. Her life was as captivating as her fiction, notably her 1926 disappearance after her first husband’s affair became public, sparking a nationwide search. Christie's second marriage to archaeologist Max Mallowan enriched her life and work, with travels and homes like the Greenway Estate and Abney Hall providing settings for several novels. Her marriage to Mallowan lasted until her death in 1976. Christie's contributions to literature earned her the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire, solidifying her place in literary history.
